BEIRUT – The Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Development announced a new chapter in its institutional and development journey, unveiling its transition towards the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across its programs, operations, and institutional work.
The announcement was made during an event held at Beit Al Wasat on November 1, marking the 82nd birthday of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri and the anniversary of his first appointment as prime minister in 1992.
Titled “A Meeting with Rafic at Beit Al Wasat: Governance and Responsibility,” the event was hosted by Mrs. Bahia Hariri, President of the Hariri Foundation, and brought together political, social, economic and media figures to revisit Rafic Hariri’s experience in governance and development.
Six AI Models Revisit Rafic Hariri’s Vision of Governance and Responsibility
A central highlight of the event was a presentation featuring six AI models examining the late President Rafic Hariri’s 1999 book, Governance and Responsibility: Moving Out of War and Into the Future.
The book documents his experience leading Lebanon’s three governments between 1992 and 1998, addressing the country's transition from war to peace, reconstruction and development.
Across its key themes of development, recovery and modernization, the analysis referenced 12 theoretical frameworks and 49 case studies from 31 countries spanning eight decades.
Carrying the Development Mission into a New Era
Mrs. Bahia Hariri reflected on the values associated with her brother’s legacy, describing him as a figure of love, friendship, ambition, hope and responsibility, as well as solidarity and cooperation. She also recalled his commitment to justice and equality among Lebanon’s generations and his openness to innovation and new ideas.
Mrs. Hariri recalled that, 21 years earlier, she had dedicated the transformation of the charitable institution into the Hariri Foundation for Sustainable Human Development to her brother, reaffirming the continuity of its development mission.
She also highlighted the accelerating pace of technological change, noting how artificial intelligence has transformed the time and possibilities associated with tasks that once required years of work and can now be accomplished within seconds.
The event brought together reflections on Rafic Hariri’s experience in governance and national reconstruction with the Foundation’s evolving institutional direction. Its transition towards smart development signals an effort to build on its longstanding human-development mission while adapting its programmes, capacities and approaches to the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly changing technological landscape.
